Spectators at the 2013 Nitro Champs at Sydney Dragway, May 3-5, will get more nitro methane than they ever bargained for with the ANDRA Drag Racing Series championships for Top Fuel and Top Bike being combined with the return of Nitro Funny Cars to Sydney Dragway.
Although not an official ANDRA championship category currently, Nitro Funny Cars have a cult following among drag racing fans. With all the horsepower of a Top Fuel dragster put into a short wheelbase chassis under a carbon fibre body, they are capable of hitting over 450kmh in under five seconds.
Sydney’s Chris Stipanovich and Perth’s Anthony Begley will be joined by Brisbane’s Christine Steffens, the only currently active female nitro racer in the country.
The thundering Top Fuel dragsters will be vying for championship points in round eight of their series, with Darren Morgan, Phil Lamattina, Damien Harris and Terry Sainty among the stars out on the track. Morgan and Lamattina are currently tied for the lead of the series, following the Santo’s Cranes Super 3 Extreme Drag Race at Willowbank Raceway.
When combined with the wild men of Top Bike, such as Chris Matheson who recently ran the quickest ever pass on a motorcycle in Australia at 6.04 seconds, fans will be getting one of the biggest nitro shows seen in Australia.
ANDRA CEO Malcolm Bulley said he was excited for the nitro triple treat coming to the Western Sydney venue.
“Drag racing has something for everyone but there is no doubt anything running on nitro has an extra touch of the wild side about it,” he said. “For Sydney fans to be able to get a show featuring Top Fuel, Nitro Funny Cars and Top Bikes, plus every other championship category the sport has to offer, is fantastic.
“The Nitro Champs is traditionally one of our ‘big three’ events where we see the full representation of what Australian drag racing can offer and in the cool May weather it is also an event where we see world class performances.
“There has been a lot of work to reach this outcome, the end result will be a feast of the most powerful vehicles on the planet. Close and spectacular racing will be a real treat for drag racing fans.
“There’s no doubt there have been negotiations and posturing leading up to the event, this is an aspect ANDRA has addressed in our plans to ensure the best outcomes for all parties and the sport as a whole.”
